Thiruvananthapuram | Senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday extended full solidarity to the three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28, opposing what he termed the Centre's moves to hand over public sector banks to corporate interests.
In a statement, Vijayan said bank employees were engaged in a "courageous struggle" against the alleged moves of the Centre to hand over the country's public sector banks to corporate monopolies.
The former CM announced full solidarity with the three-day strike being organised under the banner of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) from September 28 against the "anti-worker policies" of the government.
Vijayan alleged that the Centre's decision to undermine the official agreement signed regarding holidays on Saturdays amounted to a serious betrayal of employees.
The Leader of Opposition in the state assembly said the Union Finance Ministry was ignoring legitimate demands, including restoration of the old pension scheme, while providing higher benefits only to senior officials, calling it "discriminatory" against ordinary employees.
The government was trying to weaken the bargaining power of bank unions, which were strongly opposing the writing off of corporate loans, he alleged.
"This conspiracy will be jointly resisted by the working class and Keralam society," Vijayan said, urging the Centre to accept the employees' demands and resolve the issues immediately.
He also wished success to the struggles being undertaken by the bank unions.
